Pennsylvania judge orders woman to stop breastfeeding

A Pennsylvania woman is speaking out against a judge who ordered her to stop breastfeeding her 10-month-old daughter.

Jessica Moser is in the midst of a custody battle with her daughter Jasmine’s father and the Northampton County resident told local TV station WFMZ that two weeks ago a judge told her to stop nursing her daughter so the girl could spend two days a week at her father’s house.

Moser has had primary custody of Jasmine but now the girl’s father would like time with the child. Moser told the judge that it would be difficult to meet the judge’s request because Jasmine doesn’t take a bottle. Moser claims that she will have to stop nursing in order to meet the judge’s request.

“He did say something along the lines like, well she should be on formula, or why isn’t she on formula, she should be able to have formula at ten months,” Moser told WFMZ-TV.

“If I do not comply, I will have my child taken away,” she added.

National news outlets and parenting blogs are picking up the story and presenting a heated debate over whether it’s more important for a baby to see her father or breastfeed? Many are attacking the judge.

Over at Mommyish, Frances Locke writes:

Plenty of divorced parents manage to work out a visitation schedule that works for everyone. Whether it’s because of breastfeeding, school, extra-curricular activities, or something else, there are things that stand in the way of a convenient visit, and as parents we have to deal with that. Unless there are details that haven’t come out yet, I think the judge in this case is a douche and the father should be ashamed.

Custody battles are complicated, personal and often brutal. With this situation we don’t have all the facts so it’s hard to point fingers, but I don’t think this has to be an either-or situation. This child should be able to see her dad and continue nursing — and the judge should encourage this option, not tell the mom to stop nursing and use formula.

It’s important for a child to have a bond with both parents and for a baby to be nourished with her mother’s milk. The World Health Organization recommends that a woman exclusively breastfeed until a child reaches six months, and then start solids, while continuing to nurse until 2 years. Moser’s daughter, Jasmine, should be eating an array of solid foods in addition to her mother’s milk at this point.

As a mother who has nursed three children, I know it’s possible to spend time away from your baby and continue nursing. When my son was about 9 months I had to go on a three-day work trip, and I fretted that my time away would put an end to nursing. But I dutifully pumped milk a few times a day and after the trip I continued to nurse him until he was 2 years old.

Yes, getting a baby to take the bottle can be tricky. My first child fought it for weeks until one day when I returned to work she finally guzzled down a bottle of pumped milk in only a few minutes. I think that Moser can probably find a way to make this situation work.

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Photo: Time

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Photo: Courtesy Emily Gillette

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Swedish dad Ragnar Bengtsson appeared on talk shows across the globe to talk about his <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2009/09/08/swedish-dad-tries-to-breast-feed/">breast-feeding experiment</a> in 2008. The 26-year-old student at Stockholm University regularly broke out a breast pump to induce lactation but his efforts ultimately failed. Go figure! less

Swedish dad Ragnar Bengtsson appeared on talk shows across the globe to talk about his <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2009/09/08/swedish-dad-tries-to-breast-feed/">breast-feeding experiment</a> in ... more

Photo: TV8

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Miami Marlins’ left fielder Logan Morrison, 23, <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2012/07/30/miami-marlins-logan-morrison-infuriates-moms-with-breast-feeding-tweet/">was shopping at a Nordstrom</a> in the Miami area in 2012 and spotted a woman breast feeding an infant. Morrison, who is often referred to as LoMo, was reportedly disgusted by the sight and he snapped a photo with his phone and posted it on Twitter. The tweet read: 'Hey @Nordstrom nothing makes me want to spend $$ like seeing breastfeeding women in your store...' How Lo can you go Mo? less

Miami Marlins’ left fielder Logan Morrison, 23, <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2012/07/30/miami-marlins-logan-morrison-infuriates-moms-with-breast-feeding-tweet/">was shopping at a Nordstrom</a> in ... more

Photo: Elise Amendola / AP

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In 2009 actress Salma Hayek made a goodwill trip to Sierra Leone, the country with the highest infant mortality rate. She also made international headlines when she breast-fed a hungry child who wasn't her own. Thank you, Salma! less

In 2009 actress Salma Hayek made a goodwill trip to Sierra Leone, the country with the highest infant mortality rate. She also made international headlines when she breast-fed a hungry child who wasn't her ... more

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A group of Detroit women showed great generosity when they <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2009/07/30/nursing-women-give-motherless-boy-a-good-start/">committed to breast-feeding baby Moses ... more

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The Icreamists ice cream shop in London was in the headlines with its <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2011/03/10/breast-milk-ice-cream-declared-safe/">controversial Baby Gaga flavor made with human breast milk</a> in 2011. The product was seized by health officials after complaints over safety from the public and later declared safe by the Westminster council. A scoop cost $22. I think I'll pass. less

The Icreamists ice cream shop in London was in the headlines with its <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2011/03/10/breast-milk-ice-cream-declared-safe/">controversial Baby Gaga flavor made with human ... more

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A group of parents launched a campaign in 2013 urging 'Sesame Street' <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2012/01/13/does-breastfeeding-belong-on-sesame-street/">to show moms nursing on air</a>. Their theory: This would help normalize breast-feeding and encourage more moms to feed their babies the natural way. The longest-running children’s program that debuted in 1969 used to show nursing moms on air in the 1970s and 80s, but in the 90s they were replaced by clips of moms feeding babies with bottles. less

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A Georgia woman was told to “cover up and go away” when she started breast-feeding her newborn child during a church service in 2012. The pastor ordered Nirvana Jennette to feed her baby in the bathroom, and when she objected he told her that breast-feeding is lewd and compared her to a stripper. Huh? less

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Photo: Courtesy Nirvana Jennette

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In March 2013 Texas State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, posted on her Facebook wall that she wouldn't vote for House Bill 1706, which makes it illegal to stop a mom from nursing in public. Her reasoning? “It is important for women to be modest while feeding their baby." Were women angry? You bet! less

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Photo: Harry Cabluck / AP

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Mom bloggers were rejoicing in April 2012 when an advertisement celebrating breast-feeding surfaced on the Internet. The ad showed a baby holding an Oreo cookie while drinking milk from his mother’s breast. The nipple is fully exposed. Oreo’s slogan, “Milk’s Favorite Cookie,” appears in small print at the bottom. Could there be a more clever ad? Turns out the image was never meant for public eyes. An ad agency created it for an advertising awards ceremony in Korea. less

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Photo: Dimas Ardian / Getty Images

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Photo: ABC

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A group of mothers participated in a nurse-in demonstration against Facebook on Feb 6th 2012. The protesters says the social network company erroneously suspends accounts for posting photos of mothers breast-feeding. Facebook officials said that breastfeeding photos are taken down only when they are flagged as inappropriate and that sometimes errors happen. (SFGate) less

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Photo: Courtesy of Paala Secor

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In 2009, Ohio mother Genine Compton was charged with child endangerment after another driver reported she was breast-feeding and talking on the phone while driving.

In 2009, Ohio mother Genine Compton was charged with child endangerment after another driver reported she was breast-feeding and talking on the phone while driving.

Photo: AP

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When Pope Francis was asked about world hunger in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa in December 2013, he told a story about encouraging a mother to nurse her hungry, crying baby.
He said, "There are so many children that cry because they are hungry. At the Wednesday General Audience the other day there was a young mother behind one of the barriers with a baby that was just a few months old. The child was crying its eyes out as I came past. The mother was caressing it.
I said to her: 'Madam, I think the child’s hungry.'
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When Pope Francis was asked about world hunger in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa in December 2013, he told a story about encouraging a mother to nurse her hungry, crying baby.
He said, ... more

Photo: (Getty)

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Photo: Getty

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Photo: Hector Cruz

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Photo: Hip Mama

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Photo: When Nurture Calls

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The Brazilian supermodel and wife of NFL star Tom Brady posted an image on Instagram in 2013 of herself breastfeeding as she’s getting her hair, makeup and nails done by her beauty entourage. Bundchen, 33, is wearing a plush white robe as she relaxes in a lounge chair and nurses her 1-year-old baby daughter Vivian Lake Brady. Her eyes are closed as a makeup artists applies eye shadow and her head is slightly leaning back as a stylist curls her golden tresses. less

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Photo: Instagram / Gisele Bundchen

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The United Emirates’ Federal National Council introduced a law in 2014 requiring moms by law to breastfeed their babies until age 2. If a mother fails to meet the requirement, her husband can sue her.

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Photo: Getty

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A Canadian Starbucks barista became an unlikely hero among breastfeeding advocates. When an angry customer complained about a breastfeeding mom in an Ottawa Starbucks in summer 2014, the young man smiled ... more